End cap and hanger for flashlights



Feb. 14,. n. \NHTYRRELL ET AL 2,147,471

END CAP AND HANGER FOR FLASHLIGHTS Filed Nov. 6, 1954 INVENTORJi flwala!M 7f rrai ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE END CAP AND HANGER FORFLASHLIGHTS Donald W. Tyrrell, Clinton, Wesley. J. Officer,

Hampden, and Blake Allen Seaver, Springfield, Mass, assignors to BlakeManufacturing Corporation, Clinton, Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application Novcmberfi, 1934, Serial No. 751,712

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in end caps. and hangers forflash lights.

An object of our invention is to provide an en cap and hanger for flashlights that will be neat in appearance and one that will readily permitefiicient construction for the user to quickly move the hanger member,either into its operative or into its inoperative position.

Broadly stated, one construction of the cap member is formed with awedge-shaped groove, or channel portion, in its bottom surface, whichportion extends completely across thebottom of the cap. The oppositeside edges of this wedgeshaped channel, or groove, are formed withinclined surfaces that extendfrom the outer, or bottom, surface of thecap to the bottom surface of the wedge-shaped groove, or channel.

Pivotally located in this channel, is the hanger member which is formedwith bent end portions for providing a pivotal construction forattaching the hanger to the cap, and, at the same time, to permit itsfree movement into its operative, or inoperative positions. Theoppositely located inclined surfaces, or edges, of the Wedge-shapedchannel serve, as will be stated, to co-operate with the hanger member,in order to cause the hanger to be quickly snapped out of the channel,when the operator, with his finger, exerts a slight upward pressure onthe projecting end portion. These inclined edges are provided withinwardly projecting overhanging-lugs, which serve to normally retain thehanger in the channel, when it is not in use, and, at the same time,allows the side portions of the hangerto snap by these lugs, when aslight upward pull is imparted to the hanger, for moving it into itsoperative position. In the reverse operations, the lugs permit thehanger to be again nested in the channel, when not in use.

As a modification, instead of having the open, Wedge-shaped, channel inthe bottom of the cap, we form two grooves therein, in which the twospring arms of the hanger are nested. The

grooves are also formed with inclined surfaces, for assisting, oraccelerating, the movement of the hanger, when it is to be moved intoits opa rative, or lamp-hanging position.

The present application forms a part of the subject matter, shown anddescribed, but not claimed, in the Letters Patent of the United StatesofAmerica, dated August 7, 1934, numbered 1,969,320, granted to Wesley J.Officer and Blake A. Seaver; for their improvements in Flashlights, andjoint applicants in this application.

Furtherobjects and nature of our invention will appear in the body ofthe specification, with reference to the accompanying drawing, andappended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the end cap and hanger, showing thehanger nested in the wedge shaped recess, or channel, which extendscompletely across the end cap.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig.

1. i F v Fig. 3 is a detail View of the spring wire hanger, removed fromthe cap.

Fig, 4 is a bottom plan view of a modification, showing the two inclinedgrooves, with the hanger in place therein.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig; 6 is a further modification, showing the hanger member withinturned pivot end portions, and

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the hanger, shown in Fig. 6, removed from thecap.

Referring to the drawing in detail:-

5 designates the cap member, as a whole, having the usual attachingthreads 2. 3 indicates a wedge-shaped channel in the bottom 4 of thecap, which extends completely across the bottom from one side edge tothe other. The sides of this channel lie between the two segmentalshapedportions 5 and 6. Their inner edges, I and 8, are formed with aninclined, or shelving surface, as shown, whereby, the bottom of thechannel is of less width than the top portion. These edges are alsoformed with the inwardly extending integral lugs, 'or projections 9 andIt], under which the spring arms II and ll of the hanger it areconfined, when the hanger, shown in detail in Fig. 3, is nested in thewedge-shaped channel 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These inclined edges,'5 and 8, are formed with the recesses, or openings I4 and 15, intowhich the outwardlyturned pivot ends 16 and I! extend, when the hangeris assembled, by moving the spring arms I! and I2 into the dotted linepositions H and I2, in order to lessen the space therebetween, as shownby the line I8 in Fig. 3.

The hanger I3 is formed with the curved and projecting end I9, which, asshown, projects beyond the side edge 29 of the cap, when it is in aclosed, or inoperative position. This projecting end serves as a fingerportion for opening and closing the hanger. In operation, a slightupward pressure on the .end I9 of it-he'hanger will cause the springarms II and 'I2 to be moved inwardly by the retaining lugs 9 and I0,and, the inclined surfaces I and 8 will co-operate with the spring arms,with the result. that the hanger is forcibly and quickly snapped, ormoved, into its open position, ready for-supporting the flash light on anail, or other support. In the closing operation, the spring arms willreadily yield inwardly, when they engage the lugs 9 and III, forconfining the hanger in the channel 3, as shown. The inclined surfaces?and 8 will also assist to retain the arms H and I2 under these lugs. Thecurved end I9 serves a further purpose of automatically positioning theflashlight in a vertical plane, when supported on a nail.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the cap I, instead of having thewedge-shaped continuous. channel 3, shown in Figs. 1 and: 2, itis formedwith two inclined grooves 2| and 22'; located: between'the side portions5 and 6- and'the center portion 23; These grooves are also formed withinclined edges 1 and 8, and, in addition, there'are-inclined' edges 24-and 25 on the oppositeedg'esyof the center portion 23. The pivot ends.26and 21 of the hanger, shown in Fig. 4, enter openings, in the oppositeinner edges of the" portionsv 5v and 6. They are retained therein by:the normal outward spring of the arms.

When an upward pressure is applied to the projecting finger portion I9;theinclined surfaces I and 8will co-operate with. the spring'arms II andI2, to forcibly open the hanger member I3, and, also, assist inretaining-rthesearms under the lugs 9 and I0,--when'.in a closedposition. The normal tendency of'the 'arms. II and I2 is to springoutwardly, as stated;

In Figs. 6 and '7, the normal tendency of the spring arms II and I2 'isto move inwardly and must be moved into the dotted line positions I I"and I2", for assemblingi'them'dn the openings 28 and 29 of the centerpart 3.0, which is of the same elevation as the portions 5 and 6. Thespring arms II and -I2.of the hangerarelocated in grooves with inclined.walls, or surfaces, 24" and 25, as already described in connection withFigs. 4 and 51, whereby the hanger is forcibly and quickly opened, when.pressure is applied to the extended finger end I92. This extended endis, so far as we are aware, entirely new withus. It materially assistsin bothopening and closing the hanger, thus overcoming the necessity ofrequiring a special tool of any kind for operating the hanger.

What we claim is:-

1. An end cap construction forflashlights comprising, a cup-shapedmember formed with a pair of straight converging. grooves, the sides ofeach of said grooves converging from top. to bottom, a hanger memberhaving straight converging spring arms pivotally connected to the endcap in said grooves and engaging the said converging sides of thegrooves, lug means extending over the grooves for removably retainingthe said spring arms in the grooves, said hanger member having a loopportion connecting said arms and projecting beyond the side of saidcup-shaped member for manually operating the hanger, all portions ofsaid hanger being in the same plane,

engagement of the arms of said hanger on the converging sides of saidgrooves providing a normal tension in said hanger when the hanger isengaged in the grooves, whereby said hanger will be projected out ofsaid grooves when the hanger is released from said lugs.

2. A bottom cap for flashlights comprising, in combination, a recessedbottom surface having substantially straight inset walls extendingacross said end cap, said walls being inclined with respect to. theplane of the bottom of the cap, said inclined walls, near their point ofgreatest proximity, being provided, respectively, with oppositelydisposed apertures, a generally U-shaped hanger of material havinginherent resiliency and formed with straight converging end portions,the extremities of which are bent for reception in said apertures,respectively, in the inclined walls of the'recessed bottom surface, thedistance between corresponding points on the straight converging endportions of the hanger adjacent the bent extremities being normallygreater than the distance between points on the inclined walls at theapertures therein, whereby when said ring hanger is moved intosubstantially the plane of the bottom surface, said corresponding pointsadjacent the bent extremities are respectively cammed against saidinclined surfaces and the hanger thus placed under compression, andprojections on said inclined walls extending in substantially the planeof the bottom surface of said bottom cap for retaining the hanger in itsclosed position and under compression, the coacting surfaces of the endsof the compressed hanger and the inclined walls tending to move saidhanger angularly out of said recessed bottom surface.

3. A bottom cap for flashlights comprising, in combination, a recessedbottom surface having substantially straight inset walls extendingacross said end cap, said walls being inclined with respect to the planeof the bottom of the cap, said inclined walls, near their point ofgreatest proximity, being provided, respectively, with oppositelydisposed apertures, a generally U-shaped hanger of material havinginherent resiliency and formed with straight converging end portions,the extremities of which are bent for reception in said apertures,respectively, in the inclined walls of the recessed bottom surface, thedistance between corresponding points on the straight converging endportions of the hanger adjacent the bent extremities being normallygreater than the distance between points on the inclined walls at theapertures therein, said U- shaped hanger having a portion projectingbeyond the edge of the cap, whereby when said ring hanger is moved intosubstantially the plane of the bottom surface, said corresponding pointsadjacent the bent extremities are respectively cammed against saidinclined surfaces and the hanger thus placed under compression, and saidprojecting portion is in a position for ready en gagement with thefinger or against a projection for quick release, and projections onsaid inclined walls extending in substantially the plane of the bottomsurface of said bottom cap for retaining the hanger in its closedposition and under compression, the coacting surfaces of the ends of thecompressed hanger and the inclined walls tending to move said hangerangularly out of said recessed bottom surface.

4. An end cap construction for flashlights comprising in combination, anormal bottom surface and a recessed surface, inclined side walls ex- 75tending outwardly from the recessed surface, toward the normal bottomsurface, said inclined Walls having converging portions, perforations inoppositely disposed converging portions of said inclined side Walls toreceive the ends of a. hanger member, a resilient hanger member witharms of substantially the same contour as the inclined side Walls andadapted to be positioned on the recessed surface, lugs to hold saidresilient hanger on said recessed surface, pivot points on said hangermember to enter the said perforations, the resilient hanger member beingunder compression when the pivot points are in the perforations tendingto hold such pivot points firmly against the inclined side Walls attheir converging portions adjacent the perforations, the coacting armsof the resilient hanger under compression and the inclined side wallsadjacent the perforations tending to move the hanger angularly away fromthe recessed surface.

DONALD W. TYRRELL.

WESLEY J. OFFICER.

BLAKE ALLEN SEAVER.

